Type O Negative

Sharing a stage with notorious rockers isn't new for TON. The band, which melds "dense, gothic heaviness with song-oriented, '60's-influenced pop tuneage," is constantly on tour and has shared the bill with acts ranging from Nine Inch Nails to Ozzy Osbourne. Singer/bassist Steele, a former New York City Parks Department employee, was quite honored the first time TON opened for Osbourne. And he has great things to say about Ozzfest. But when it comes to making a living as a touring musician, Steele's opinion is not as gracious. As to making a living in the concert business, Steele said, ", I wish I could. I was working for the city here for seven years and when I quit my job for the band, had I known I would be touring constantly, I probably would never have left."

"So what keeps TON going? Steele said, "I hate to put people down and start to sling mud here but I think that if the record company knew what they were doing – and I honestly don't blame the workers because you can't expect fish to fly if you know what I mean – but I think that if our fans knew that we had a new album out last August, or if they knew we were coming to town, record sales would be a lot better and we would not have to do so much touring. But it seems like we have to advertise ourselves. And it's kind of frustrating that at 35 years old, I'm locked into a contract that is probably going to extend until I'm 40. At that point, I really don't want to do this anymore because I think that rock music is for youth…. I don't want to drag myself out there and feel like somebody's grandfather. So I'm just doing this because I have to do it, not because I want to do it."

However, it's the fans that really keep Steele performing. "The only good part about it is making the fans happy," he said. "When someone comes up to me and they say that my music has helped them through a tough time, well, I'm glad to be of service. Misery loves company and we're great company."

Despite Steele's dislike for the road, music has always been a part of his life. "I've been in bands since I was about 12 years old and it's always been like a hobby for me," he said. "I formed Type O Negative while I was working for the city….. What actually transformed it from hobby into a so-called career was the fact that after working for the city for seven years, I was passed over three times for a promotion because I'm a white male….. I'm not going to cry because wolves can't complain about being wolves…. I just got sick and tired of it and I felt, well, maybe it's better to die with a bass in my hand than a rake."

Even though Steele has been in bands for years, he never fantasized about performing. "I'm not one of these people that … stood in front of the mirror with my Black Sabbath albums blasting, mouthing the words and waiting for the day that I could be Ozzy Osbourne. My life's dream as a kid was to be a garbage man. And that's exactly what I did when I worked for the Parks Department. So my dreams had come true and [it was] time to move on. I had to seize the opportunity. I would be really happy working for the city once again … but I got sick and tired of swallowing my pride."

Today, Steele must swallow something else to make it through a work day. The man of Steele has terrible stage fright and to this day, can't get past it without a big bottle of red wine. "I think as a shy person, someone who lacks confidence, I can never get used to the idea of walking out in front of X amount of people whether it's 10, 10,000 or 100,000 and thinking that I'm qualified and or capable of entertaining all of them. So that's why I've always got my handy bottle of wine next to me because it takes the edge off the anxiety…. And everybody seems to think that it's up there as this romantic prop or something. Well it's not. It's my crutch."

Like TON's brooding lead singer, the band's music is somber. Steele, however, believes some bands that delve into darkness cross the line. When that happens, parental apprehension is a viable concern. "I think when a band starts to do really freaky things, when they start to actually act these things out, [whether] it's in the video or live on stage, that … might cross the line. I don't think children should be sheltered but I think that parents should be there to try to explain that this is not real and you shouldn't do this at home. It's only when parents stop talking to their children and stop paying attention to them, that's when the real problems seem to creep up," he said. "You can't totally shelter the kid but at the same time, you can't let him or her do whatever she wants or else they will turn into someone you don't know. So I think communication is the key."

Communication may be the key. Censorship isn't. A recent example of censorship arose when the Meadowlands in New Jersey refused to put tickets for Ozzfest on sale unless Marilyn Manson was pulled from the bill. Steele said, "I think that the state of New Jersey did all the bands involved – especially Marilyn Manson and Ozzy Osbourne – a huge favor due to all the free press. Rock is about rebellion. If the government bans something, well that just makes kids want it even more. So, they probably did the worst thing possible by banning this show. They should have just let it happen. So, excuse my language, they fucked themselves."

Steele is also shocked that such a profitable event would be banned. "They were crazy to actually try to ban it because this is their big pay day," he said. "I think [Ozzfest] is great, not just for the bands but for the fans as well…. I think everybody wins. Even the state of New Jersey wins."

So what does a long-haired, 6'6", 220-pound Brooklyner who sings music that can be described as "Black Sabbath meets the Cocteau Twins" say when you wish that all his dreams come true. "I hope not my nightmares." What else?

Type O Negative, which is touring in support of its Roadrunner Records release October Rust, is managed by Andy Gould at Concrete Management. The band's responsible agent is Tim Borror at Artists & Audience Entertainment.